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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28345755">Not Since Princess Prom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FridayMorning/pseuds/FridayMorning'>FridayMorning</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Apologies, Autistic Entrapta (She-Ra), Awkwardness, Canon Autistic Character, Dancing Lessons, Developing Friendships, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, Minor Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Minor Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Minor Netossa/Spinnerella (She-Ra), Minor Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra), Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:14:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,761</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28345755</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FridayMorning/pseuds/FridayMorning</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A few months after the defeat of Horde Prime, Mermista holds a ball to officially celebrate the Rebellion's victory. Hordak convinces a hesitant Entrapta to attend, but she agrees only under the condition that he will join her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Catra &amp; Hordak (She-Ra), Entrapta &amp; the Princesses (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Entrapta's Plus One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hordark noticed the gilded invitation by mere chance as he scraped the burnt remains of his and Ron’s attempt at tiny scones into the trash. (Entrapta had decided ‘Wrong Hordak’ was too insulting and confusing to be used long term, and with a bit of wordplay that Hordak did not fully grasp, she and her archer-friend had come up with ‘Ron’ as a substitute. With him around and eager to bake, Entrapta had started giving the kitchen staff more time off. This quickly proved to be a mistake, but with Ron so eager to keep trying, Entrapta did not have the heart to stop him.)</p><p>Hordak picked the paper out of the garbage and dropped in the tray, giving up on trying to salvage it. The concept of ‘secrets’ had not existed under Horde Prime, and Entrapta had always been open with him about anything he wanted to know, so he saw no problem with reading the letter addressed to her. He frowned. The contents sounded familiar. Last week Scorpia had called via the communication tablet and modeled a dress for Entrapta, asking if it looked appropriate for an upcoming ball.</p><p>Yes, the name signed at the bottom of the invitation was the same one Scorpia had mentioned that day. (Which blue-haired princess was Mermista? Entrapta had a picture of her posing with her friends hanging on the wall of the lab, but Hordak had never learned to pair their faces with their names.)</p><p>The invitation indicated the ball would be held in a few days. Entrapta had yet to mention it to him. Hordak tried to fathom why. (Did she think he would be angry if she mentioned she planned on spending time with her rebel friends? Did she think he would hurt them? Hurt her?)</p><p>“Brother?” Ron stood in the doorway. “Is my failure upsetting you more than you indicated in the kitchen?”</p><p>Hordak closed his eyes and counted each breath he took. (Entrapta had taught him to do that whenever his thoughts started down a similar path, claiming the blonde flowery princess might have been clueless about tech, but knew all sorts of useful tricks for calming the mind.) He needed to find her. “No, Ron,” he said. (How strange it felt, even after all this time, to indulge in the privilege of a name with another clone.) “All is well. You should restart the project without me. I will rejoin you when I can.”</p><p>Ron nodded and returned to the kitchen. Hordak headed toward the main lab, clutching the invitation in one hand and counting his breaths the whole way.</p>
<hr/><p>The main lab was easily the biggest room in the castle. It was surprisingly neat for the amount of projects it contained. Countless tools each had their proper place on the racks covering every wall, multiple filing cabinets containing paper copies of her research towered toward the ceiling, and each table was covered in tech that could not fit in any of the drawers.</p><p>Entrapta was in the middle of soldering a new lens over Emily’s ‘eye.’ Her latest project centered on enhancing her companion’s vision with better optics intended to provide enhanced zoom, clearer night vision, and faster processing of the infrared spectrum. Hordak waited in the doorway. Soldering required uninterrupted concentration, otherwise the materials would not bond as smoothly.</p><p>Entrapta set the soldering iron aside, lifted her mask, and pat Emily. “Good job! How’s that feel?”</p><p>Emily lit up and swiveled around. She gave a few beeps and Entrapta beamed. (How they communicated was a mystery to Hordak, but all he cared about was that the little robot made Entrapta happy.)</p><p>Hordak cleared his throat. Entrapta turned and waved. “Hordak!” The tension in his stomach uncoiled. “Are the scones done?”</p><p>He thought of Ron and the smoking oven. “Not yet.” He searched for the best way to start the conversation and, drawing a blank, held out the invitation. “I wanted to discuss this with you.”</p><p>Entrapta cocked her head. After a second recognition dawned. “Oh, that! What about it?”</p><p>“Are you going?”</p><p>“No. I would have told you if I was, silly,” she said as she began to tidy her workspace.</p><p>Hordak blinked. “Why not?”</p><p>She almost dropped the soldering iron. “You know I love a good social experiment, but… I thought it might be best to sit this one out.”</p><p>“You don’t want to go?”</p><p>“No. Well- I don’t know.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and two tendrils of hair mimicked a shrug. “Mermista is hosting the ball to celebrate our victory, and she <i>did</i> send me an invitation, but I’m still contemplating it.”</p><p>(Our. What a simple word, and yet how much it meant. He knew he had not done much, and certainly not for the same reasons Entrapta and her friends had fought for, but he remembered how it felt to live for himself for the first time when he held Prime over the ledge. If he could not count the brief moment before everything blurred green and his consciousness was stripped away again as a victory, then what did the word even mean?)</p><p>“I do not see what is holding you back.”</p><p>Entrapta chewed her lip. “I just… I haven’t attended a fancy party like this in a while, not since Princess Prom, and I didn’t blend in that well there. I don’t think Mermista would like it if I made a scene.”</p><p>The hard lines of his expression cemented. “You fear mockery? Then this Mermista is a fool unworthy of your friendship, and I-”</p><p>“No, it’s not like that,” she said with a small smile. A thick tendril of hair settled around Hordak’s shoulders. Entrapta fell quiet as she thought about her next words. Although they were touching, she was out of reach. (Ever since she returned from Beast Island and they were reunited, she experienced moments like this. All Hordak could do was wait, and pretend he did not feel so powerless to help.)</p><p>She met his eyes with total sincerity. “Mermista isn’t a bad person. My hesitation isn’t because of her, really, it’s… It’s complicated. If you went with me, I’d feel more confident, but-”</p><p>“I’ll do it.” He reacted automatically to her words, as if it was a command he could not think of ignoring.</p><p>Entrapta’s eyes widened. “Really?”</p><p>All the reasons why Entrapta had not asked him directly suddenly hit. (Of course, how could he be eager to attend an event celebrating his side’s loss? Entrapta might have said ‘our victory,’ but plenty of her allies would hesitate to include him.)</p><p>Entrapta threw her arms and hair around him. “Hordak, thank you so much! I’ll go call Scorpia to find out what we should wear. Do you think I could bring my recorder?” A thousand thoughts rushed behind her bright eyes as she practically buzzed in his arms. Suddenly, she paused. “Wait, what about Ron?”</p><p>Hordak knew better than to try to answer the question and disrupt her train of thought.</p><p>A second later she dismissed the question with a wave of a pigtail. “Of course, Emily can babysit!”</p><p>Emily beeped, and even Hordak could interpret that the robot was not nearly as confident about that idea as Entrapta. Before Emily could offer a proper counter, however, the smoke alarm blared. Everyone turned in the direction of the kitchen.</p><p>“Brother and sister, I have encountered a problem!”</p><p>Entrapta grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall. “Don’t worry, Ron, I’m coming!”</p><p>Left alone, Hordak and Emily faced each other. Emily gave another pathetic beep. Hordak shrugged.</p>
<hr/><p>In the end, the outfit that met Scorpia’s approval as appropriate formalwear for the ball and Entrapta’s approval as allowing for mobility was a suit. The jacket and pants were made of an iridescent material that shifted from silver to violent depending on how the light hit it. Hordak’s tie was made of the same material, as Scorpia said it was proper for guests attending together to match, but his suit jacket and pants were plain black. He had to give Entrapta credit. The suit she had made him was specially designed to fit comfortably over his cyberkinetic enhancements.</p><p>“You look great!” she declared as she posed with him in front of a hall mirror. Hordak did not indicate his opinion as he stared. When Entrapta noticed his rigid body language, she pulled him away and claimed they should start their journey or they would risk being late.</p><p>(He had told her, once, about the stranger’s reflection that plagued him. She helped him dye his hair back to blue, which was an improvement, but until she found a safe way to return his eyes to their former color he avoided mirrors as much as possible.)</p><p>They traveled in an automated carriage that operated a bit like a mechanical spider. Despite the many robotic legs moving under them, the motion was surprisingly smooth. As it brought them closer to Salineas, Entrapta’s fidgeting increased.</p><p>Hordak reached for her hand. “If anyone makes tonight less than satisfactory for you, I will not hesitate to wreak vengeance.”</p><p>Entrapta smiled and squeezed his hand.</p>
<hr/><p>Once they arrived, Hordak’s confidence all but dissolved into the air. The celebration was taking place in one large room that was lavishly adorned with blue and silver decorations. There was a grand marble staircase at one end with a balcony that wrapped around the room overhead, so that those on the second floor could peer down at the festivities below. Several tables with food and a seating area were located to the side, but most of the space was taken up by all the guests. The chatter of hundreds of conversations all struggling to be heard over the music made his head spin. One hand clenched into a fist, but he was careful to keep the one interlocked with Entrapta’s relaxed.</p><p>Entrapta’s gaze darted around the ballroom with the enthusiasm of an explorer in a strange yet wondrous wilderness. “Let’s see if they have tiny refreshments!” she said, and Hordak found himself weaving through throngs of guests with her.</p><p>Many of the people they bumped into did double-takes, their expressions morphing from surprise to less friendly emotions. One pink-haired guest pulled her bespeckled partner closer to herself, as if offering her protection as he and Entrapta passed. At the refreshment table Hordak let Entrapta make up both of their plates while he reserved most of his energy for keeping track of the people who stared, muttered together, and occasionally pointed in their direction. He clenched his jaw. (As long as they kept their hands to themselves and Entrapta seemed happy, he would not retaliate against their blatant disrespect.)</p><p>“Success! Try this,” she insisted, holding a plate of tiny colorful disks under Hordak’s nose. He picked up a pastel pink one and bit into it. It was flaky with a fruity taste unlike anything he had eaten in the Fright Zone. “Do you like it? Strawberry is my favorite flavor.”</p><p>“It is palatable. I apologize for taking your favorite.”</p><p>“Nonsense! There are plenty.” She popped one into her mouth to demonstrate.</p><p>A young man with wide dark eyes pushed through the crowd. “Entrapta?”</p><p>Hordak tensed and prepared for confrontation. If this person dared to question if she deserved to be in attendance, he would not hesitate to intervene.</p><p>“Bow!” Entrapta hugged him. Hordak untensed by a fraction.</p><p>“I love your suit,” he said he returned the embrace, but when they parted he knit his eyebrows. “Where have you been? Mermista wanted to meet with all the princesses before the ball gets underway. Didn’t it say so in your invitation?”</p><p>“Ah, well you see, I wasn’t sure if I, um…” Entrapta twisted her hair in her hands and looked at the floor.</p><p>Bow took her arm. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll bring you to the others.”</p><p>Hordak’s hand snapped around Bow’s forearm like a vice. The contact finally prompted Bow to look his way. He cleared his throat. “Hello. Only the princesses are meeting upstairs, but you can wait here.”</p><p>The surrounding guests openly stared. Hordak ignored their attention and Bow’s remark. “She does not need to go anywhere she does not want to,” he stated evenly. He waited for Bow to let go of her arm before he removed his hand, then he turned to address Entrapta. “Do you want to go to them?”</p><p>Entrapta, oblivious to the tension, made a face like she was doing a complex equation in her head. “I do, if they want me there.” She looked at Bow hopefully.</p><p>“Of course!” Bow held out a hand for her to take. “We’re your friends, Mermista included. How could the princesses make an official entrance without you?”</p><p>The corners of her mouth lifted and she accepted his hand. “Really? Alright, then.” A tendril of hair touched Hordak’s shoulder. “I’ll try not to be away too long, I promise.”</p><p>Hordak nodded and watched Bow part the crowd for her. A few guests whispered as they passed, but Entrapta was too enthralled in her conversation with Bow to notice. Hordak exhaled. Once they had disappeared up the stairs, the bolder members of the crowd swiveled to openly watch him, as if he was a dangerous animal capable of unleashing teeth and claws at any time. They almost seemed to bait an attack with the way they stared and gabbed to one another, as if hoping to fulfill a hero fantasy or say “I told you so” to whoever had allowed him inside.</p><p>He did not feel like playing into their games. (As long as Entrapta was enjoying herself, he would not ruin the evening.) With his hands clenched around the plate Entrapta had filled with goodies for him, he headed to the nearest corner and stood partially behind one of the room’s marble columns. It was the same shade of white as the grand staircase, with a delicate shell design carved over the surface. (Mermista must have been the older princess with the tail, he concluded from the ocean-themed decorations. Entrapta had told him the story of how she invaded the Fright Zone through the sewer system and, though he could not feel fondness for a rebel princess, he respected her skills.)</p><p>He longed for more sweets after he finished the ones on the plate, not because they were particularly good, but because he associated them with Entrapta’s smile. Hordak considered fetching another strawberry disk to save for Entrapta when she returned, but he did not feel like withstanding another bout of gasps and whispers that crossing the room to the refreshment table would bring. Even keeping his distance from everyone in the corner brought more attention than he wanted. Most of the guests who came over and recognized him quickly searched for another place to linger, so the faces around him cycled endlessly and made him slightly nauseous.</p><p>A princely figure with skin like seafoam broke the cycle. Upon spotting him, they smiled and came closer. The stranger cocked their hip and rested one hand on their waist in a vaguely familiar manner. “Why, darling, I didn’t expect to see you here. What a pleasant surprise.”</p><p>Hordak recoiled. (Was this mockery? A threat? Was this body language a way of alerting the palace guards, and the stranger was subtly calling for his removal from the event?)</p><p>They frowned. “Oh, boss, don’t you remember your favorite thespian?” They blinked and their green eyes flashed a reptilian shade of yellow.</p><p>“You.” Hordak had never learned their name, but the other seemed satisfied with the tone of recognition.</p><p>“Yes, it’s me. For tonight, though, you can call me Prince Peekablue. You know how I am, I can’t let a chance to perform go to waste. Especially not when I’m a big part of the reason this is even being held.”</p><p>Unless he was speaking with Entrapta, Hordak did not make a habit of expressing interest in conversations. (He found it was a good way to keep them as brief as possible.) However, he could not hide his confusion at the statement.</p><p>‘Prince Peekablue’ smiled. “I was getting so <i>bored</i> after the war. It was like everyone’s excitement dropped away when they realized how much effort it would take to restore everything. Much too gloomy for my taste. So, I popped over to see the dear ocean princess- not as myself, naturally, but as that sailor boy she’s secretly soft for, and I suggested that perhaps we all deserved a proper celebration for a job well done.” </p><p>Hordak opted for silence as he tried to process the story.</p><p>His ex-employee scanned the room. “I did a good job, didn’t I? It could be considered an act of charity, really. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Although, you can tell it’s been ages since they’ve had the chance to throw a real party. They wouldn’t recognize one if it fell from the heavens and landed in their laps.” They sighed theatrically. “I’ll have to show them how it’s done.”</p><p>“You have a mission, then.” Hordak hoped they would carry it out elsewhere so he could return to standing quietly and imagining himself back at the lab with Entrapta.</p><p>They gave him a sly look. “You’re the talk of the ball, you know. I couldn’t believe it when I first heard someone claim the ex-leader of the Horde showed up with the traitor princess.”</p><p>Hordak’s hands clenched hard enough for the plate to make a cracking sound.</p><p>They stepped back. “Don’t misunderstand- I was glad to hear your little mechanic returned from Beast Island safe and sound. I never met her, but I always suspected she had some spunk. Where has she gone now?”</p><p>(Hordak had always struggled with identifying the subtler meanings in people’s words and actions, partially from an innate lack of skill and partially from a personal lack of effort, but all the slight shifts in tone and body language made his head spin. The phrase ‘little mechanic,’ however, he heard clearly and responded with clenched teeth.) “She’s not-” His volume caused a few guests to turn their heads. (He could not ruin this for her. He could not ruin this for her.) “Entrapta is engaged with the other princesses for the moment.”</p><p>They nodded. “Good for her.”</p><p>Hordak again opted for silence, lest he draw more attention. Finally, the other grew bored of him. “Well, I’m not one to overstay. Enjoy yourself, dear.” They waved with gloved fingers and disappeared seamlessly into the crowd.</p><p>Hordak exhaled. (Double Trouble, that was their name.)</p>
<hr/><p>Just as he was starting to feel something close to comfort, another guest recognized him and started forward. “Oh, it’s you!”</p><p>Hordak braced for hostility, but instead of swinging a punch the man stuck out his hand to shake. After a few seconds with no reciprocation, the man dropped his hand back to his side, but his wide smile remained. Hordak continued to stare.</p><p>“It’s Sea Hawk!” he said in the same tone, although the energy was a bit forced now. He looked expectant, as if the words were supposed to mean something to Hordak. “You know, I fought against you with the princesses? Until everything became a bit of a mess and then we all became reluctant allies, I think-” Sea Hawk cut himself off with a stutter before his mouth gave Hordak a reason to initiate violence.</p><p>Hordak studied his face. Finally, he said, “Force Captain Scorpia mentioned someone of your description, once.”</p><p>“Scorpia mentioned me?” The energy returned full force as Sea Hawk puffed out his chest. “Not that I’m surprised. I’m certainly worth mentioning.”</p><p>Hordak refrained from commenting.</p><p>Sea Hawk noticed the cracked plate in his hands. “What happened?”</p><p>(Was it an accusation? Did Hordak need to apologize? He was not eager to undergo the indignity of apologizing, especially not to someone like this.)</p><p>“No matter. Put it here, before you cut yourself.” Sea Hawk moved a trash can from the wall within Hordak’s reach. He dropped the broken pieces in with a clatter. Sea Hawk did not flinch. “I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself. I know the current music is a far cry from an invigorating sea shanty, but the higher tier songs should start up once the princesses make their entrance to kick off the evening, and then I can sweep my dear Mermista around the dance floor...”</p><p>(Dance?)</p><p>“Dance?”</p><p>“Of course! Dancing is a given at any party like this.”</p><p>Hordak felt the tendons in his neck and jaw tighten. “Expected of everyone attending?” (Did Entrapta know about this? She must have. She said she had attended a few events like this before. Why didn’t she warn him?)</p><p>Sea Hawk inclined his head. “I can give you a short lesson on the basics, if you’d like. I know a lot of, <i>er</i>, Etherian customs are unfamiliar in the Fright Zone.” His phrasing was careful, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone.</p><p>Hordak tensed further and opened his mouth to refuse such a humiliating offer, but his mind went to Entrapta. He counted his breaths. “That would be… fine.”</p><p>“Wonderful!” Sea Hawk lightly grabbed Hordak’s shoulders. “First, put your hands on my waist. The best way to teach you how to lead is by showing you.”</p><p>(Was this a joke? But, no, he saw a few pairs of guests that were not chatting were in similar poses, gliding in their own little circles.) Hordak relented and moved his hands to hover at Sea Hawk’s sides without actually touching him.</p><p>“Good enough. Now, follow my example.” Sea Hawk began to count under his breath and guided them into motion. Hordak did not let Sea Hawk move him as much as he occasionally took a stiff step in the same direction that Sea Hawk was pushing or pulling his shoulders.</p><p>“Why are you counting?”</p><p>Sea Hawk faltered, which meant little considering their already off-kilter dynamic. “Ah, to follow the rhythm of the music.” When Hordak’s expression indicated a need for further explanation, Sea Hawk added, “It’s like finding the heartbeat of the song. When it beats, you step. Like setting a walking pace! Can you hear it?”</p><p>Hordak considered his words. They did not sound too different from Entrapta’s advice for calming down. Sea Hawk had admitted the real music for dancing would be played later, but if other guests could find a beat in this song to dance to, then so could he. “A little.”</p><p>Sea Hawk beamed as if the two words indicated real progress, and began counting again. This time, Hordak made an effort to follow along. Amazingly enough, they fell into a rhythm. It was still rather stiff, but it was enough of an improvement for Hordak to begin to understand what he was doing. (If this was all it took to dance, then he could dance with Entrapta all evening. Entrapta… It had been a while since she left. Was she alright? Should he go and find her?)</p><p>“Look at us! We’ve got it. Isn’t it nice?” Sea Hawk smiled at him.</p><p>Hordak struggled for a neutral reply, but was caught off guard by the number of people who were, indeed, looking at them. Gaping was more like it, as if one or both of them had grown a third arm. Hordak lost the rhythm along with any desire to get it back. He stepped out of Sea Hawk’s reach.</p><p>Sea Hawk’s enthusiasm was replaced with mild hurt, his brow furrowing and the smile dissipating. “What? Was it something I said?”</p><p>Hordak had stopped paying attention to him. There were so many eyes on him, and so many mouths moving at once. (They were mocking him. They were wondering why one of their own was feigning courtesy instead of demanding he leave. His presence was the grossest possible violation. Were they thinking the same about Entrapta?) He clenched his fists.</p><p>Sea Hawk grabbed his arm with one hand and pointed up toward the balcony. “Look! They’re about to announce my darling!”</p><p>On the second floor was a guard in Salinean garb. She raised her hand and a hush fell over the crowd. “It is my honor to present your hostess, Princess Mermista.”</p><p>Guests clapped politely. Sea Hawk looked on the verge of short-circuiting like one of Entrapta’s faulty bots as a woman dressed in a long blue dress with gold trim stepped into sight. She smiled without showing teeth and looked as though she would rather have been anywhere else. “On behalf of Salineas, it is my honor to welcome everyone who was able to attend,” she began.</p><p>As she presented a speech on how much progress Etheria had made since the end of the war, Hordak could not help but cast judgements. (She lacked the authoritative body language of a leader. Instead of commanding the crowd’s attention, she seemed almost irritated or intimidated by it. She was nothing like-)</p><p>Sea Hawk squeezed his arm. “Isn’t she wonderful? I was the only one she trusted to practice her speech with. She doesn’t like anyone to think she cares, but she was so worried about saying the wrong thing tonight when everyone is so in need of another morale boost,” he said as softly as his excitement would allow.</p><p>Hordak pulled out of his grip. (Who was he to judge, when the side he was about to compare Mermista to had lost?) He did not want his mind to continue down that path. He focused on counting his breaths until the speech ended.</p><p>Mermista looked relieved at finishing. “Now, I would like to present my guests of honor. They have been my fellow princesses, my allies, and my friends. Please welcome Princess Scorpia…” His old force captain stepped into view wearing the wine-colored dress she had shown Entrapta not long ago and took her place beside Mermista by the balcony. Mermista continued to make introductions, and more princesses stepped forward. Most of them he only recognized from Entrapta’s picture.</p><p>Then, Mermista introduced Entrapta. Hordak was not certain of what he had expected, but Mermista said her name with the same respect and fondness she had used for welcoming the rest of the princesses. (Allies. Friends.)</p><p>Entrapta stepped forward with the biggest, brightest smile Hordak had ever seen since the day they won the war. (<i>They</i> won the war.) She looked radiant. Entrapta waved. Unsure of whether she could even see him from her current position, Hordak waved back.</p><p>A fair number of the guests returned her wave, too. Most smiled and clapped with the same polite enthusiasm they had used for the other princesses, and the few that glanced around hesitantly quickly followed the suit of the majority.</p><p>Overcome by enthusiasm, Sea Hawk squeezed his arm again. Hordak did not react.</p><p>Mermista cleared her throat. “Finally, though she isn’t technically a princess, I am proud to welcome Adora, although most of you know her as She-Ra- <i>ah-</i>” Her gaze caught on Sea Hawk clinging to the ex-leader of the Horde and her words caught in her throat.</p><p>(Had Entrapta not told anyone he was her plus one? Was the crowd about the notice what had startled their princess and riot? Had he let his guard down too soon?)</p><p>The guests burst into wild applause and cheers as his ex-force captain, who at the moment did not look anywhere close to as intimidating as she had when she shredded Horde Prime’s troops, smiled and waved shyly as she came to stand beside her friends. Beside <i>Entrapta</i>, who was beaming and clapping along with the crowd.</p><p>“They all look so nice together, don’t they?” Sea Hawk asked.</p><p>Hordak realized he had stopped counting. “They do.”</p>
<hr/><p>Not shoving Sea Hawk away turned out to be beneficial, as the man was a master of carving a path through the guests. Once the initial formalities ended, they were in the perfect position to be among the first to greet the princesses as they descended the main staircase.</p><p>As the hostess, Mermista walked ahead of the others. She reached the crowd first and greeted a few guests, but was obviously focused on getting out of the line of sight as quickly as possible without breaking etiquette. When she saw Sea Hawk, her body language instantly shifted in a way that reminded Hordak of how Entrapta visibly glowed with relief when an arduous project was finally completed. Then she noticed his proximity to Hordak, and her eye twitched.</p><p>“Mermista!” Oblivious, Sea Hawk all but threw himself into her arms.</p><p>Mermista appeared to count to three under her breath, then detached him from her person. “Hey. Don’t step on the dress.”</p><p>He saluted. “Understood!” Then he linked their arms and, carefully, led her to one side of the staircase as the rest of the princesses reached the ground floor.</p><p>“Hordak!” Entrapta threw her arms and hair around him in a hug. “Isn’t it fun? I missed you, but now I’m back, and the party is just beginning!”</p><p>Hordak found himself smiling. “Yes.” He glanced over at Sea Hawk, and in the back of his mind wondered where Double Trouble was at that moment. “Tonight is… exceeding expectations.”</p><p>Mermista’s gaze flickered uneasily to him again, but the orchestra chose that moment to begin playing the ‘higher tier songs’ Sea Hawk had mentioned, and the man looked eager to take advantage of the music. He posed half-bent with one hand behind his back and looked up at Mermista with utter adoration. “May I have this dance?”</p><p>Mermista’s wariness was replaced with a small smile. “Just one. For the sake of, like, formality, because after this I’m hiding by the snack table, and no one will be able to move me. You know I’m not much of a dancer.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, dearest, I’ve been told I’m a very good teacher. Right?” Sea Hawk turned his beaming expression toward Hordak.</p><p>Mermista’s expression twitched again as she tried to process the implication. Hordak forced himself to give a single nod. Thankfully that was all the encouragement Sea Hawk needed, because in the next moment he swept Mermista into a smooth waltz toward a more spacious part of the ballroom. Most of the princesses followed suit, finding their partners in the crowd or pairing with one another.</p><p>At his side, Entrapta was talking quietly into her recorder. “Somehow, they all seem to manage their space quite well despite all moving in different directions. Very strange.” She tucked it back into her pocket.</p><p>He cleared his throat. (What if she laughed at him?) “Are you... interested in following their example?”</p><p>“What, in dancing?” Entrapta glanced around, looking hesitant but not opposed. “I haven’t done much before, at least not the fancy kind.”</p><p>Hordak swallowed. “I could lead.”</p><p>“You could?” She considered it. “I’d like to try, then.”</p><p>Carefully, he set his hands on Entrapta’s waist. She had to stretch to reach his shoulders, but managed with a smile. He called to mind his limited practice with Sea Hawk and mentally counted along with the rhythm of the music as they began to move. They were a rather awkward sight, as the sum of their experience amounted to a single ten-minute lesson on the basics, but most people were too preoccupied enjoying themselves to notice. (And, Hordak realized, he did not care about the few that continued to look at him and Entrapta oddly.)</p><p>It was nice. Moving like this, only needing to focus on Entrapta, was very nice indeed. Over the music, she relayed to him all the observations she had made about the festivities so far. “Princess Prom was kind of like this, but everyone was exhibiting a lot more stress responses. Also, the macaroons weren’t as good, but I can’t hold that against Frosta- it must be hard to get fresh fruit in the Kingdom of Snows, especially during a war. Here, Mermista said they used fresh strawberries for the pink ones! She said Scorpia told her how those were my favorite.” Suddenly, Entrapta stilled and looked overwhelmed.</p><p>Hordak held her more securely. “Entrapta, are you alright?”</p><p>She swallowed, and her voice cracked as she replied, “Yeah, yeah I- I’m alright, really.” She leaned her forehead against his chest. Slightly muffled, she added, “Really, I am.”</p><p>Hordak stayed still, partially shielding her. He noticed Scorpia and Perfuma had stopped dancing as well and were giving him concerned looks. He shook his head and Scorpia looked reluctant to stay out of it, but said something softly to her partner to convince her to continue dancing. (Maybe, just maybe, he would not try so hard to avoid them all for the rest of the evening.)</p><p>Entrapta finished catching her breath and looked up at him. Her eyes were watery, but her smile looked genuine. “Thank you,” she said, “for convincing me to come. I’m really glad that I could see my friends again, and be here with you.”</p><p>Hordak smoothed a few hairs away from her face. “There is no need for thanks. You belong here with them.”</p><p>She pursed her mouth and looked ready to object when a new song began. “Dance with me some more?”</p><p>He began to guide them again in the same simple pattern of steps. “Anything for you, princess.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! I experimented with using parentheses to designate Hordak's thoughts and when the narration needs to 'dip' into his mind for context. Let me know if it had the intended effect, or if it was confusing! I (hopefully, if I maintain my motivation throughout my winter break) have two more chapters planned, but I intentionally made this one self-contained and only added tags relating to the first chapter so far in case my plans fall through.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Before the Entrance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Is this a fix-it fic? Probably. This exists for anyone who has felt uncomfortable due to some of the interactions between the other princesses and Entrapta.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite Bow’s reassurance that the rest of the princesses were eager to see her again, Entrapta felt her stomach twist as she climbed the stairs. She focused on catching up with him to calm her nerves.</p><p>“Glimmer and I are approaching our five month anniversary,” he said as they walked along the interior balcony. To their right was a perfect view of the party below, and to their left a shimmery blue curtain covered the wall.</p><p>“Anniversary of what?”</p><p>Bow missed a step. “Of… when we started dating.”</p><p>“You and Glimmer are a couple?” Entrapta searched her pockets for her recorder. “Social Experiment Log number twenty, my scientific colleague Bow has entered a romantic alliance with Queen Glimmer of Brightmoon.”</p><p>“Ri-ight. I don’t know if ‘alliance’ is the most accurate term, though.”</p><p>“What term would you prefer?”</p><p>“I think ‘relationship’ is fine.” Bow rubbed the back of his neck.</p><p>“Noted.” Entrapta made a correction in her log, then switched off the recorder and tucked it inside of her jacket. “Later tonight, if you have time, I’d like to discuss a few ideas I have that could revolutionize transportation throughout Etheria.”</p><p>Bow brightened. “I’d love to. You owe me a dance first, though.”</p><p>“It’s a deal!”</p><p>Bow stopped walking. “Here it is.” He pulled aside part of the curtain.</p><p>In front of the revealed door stood Mermista, who froze in the middle of biting her black-painted nails. As soon as she snapped out of her embarrassed shock she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her dark blue dress. Entrapta noted the gold trim along the neckline produced a shimmery effect.</p><p>“I could have brought some tiny refreshments, if you wanted,” Entrapta said. “Your dress is fascinating, by the way. How does it interact with the light like that? Are there tiny crystals in the fabric?”</p><p>“Uh- hi.” Mermista glanced from Entrapta to Bow. “Thanks for finding her. Adora told me to tell you to keep an eye on Catra so she doesn’t, like, cause a riot or something.”</p><p>“On it!” Bow saluted her and headed down the stairs.</p><p>Entrapta reached for the loose fabric by Mermista’s shoulder, but her hand was intercepted. Mermista gave a quick squeeze. “I’m glad you made it. I was kind of, uh, worried when Scorpia said you might not come.”</p><p>“I did consider staying home,” Entrapta admitted, “but then Hordak convinced me I should, and he agreed to be my plus-one!” </p><p>“Your- he- he’s <i>here?</i>”</p><p>Entrapta pushed herself higher with her hair against the floor to intercept Mermista’s panicked look toward the crowd below. “Was that not okay? I thought it would be okay, because I know him and I know he wouldn’t cause a problem here on purpose, really.”</p><p>“I know.” Surprised at her own conviction, Mermista closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled. “If he came as your date, I trust everything will be… fine. Not on fire. Let’s go sit with everyone.”</p><p>The twist in her stomach returned as Mermista opened the door. The room was cozy, with a few plush chairs and couches perfect for conversation. On one couch Perfuma and Scorpia seemed lost in their own company, on the other Nettossa, Glimmer, and Adora chatted and watched Spinnerella help Frosta hover over the floor with well timed gusts of air. Though the youngest princess never went higher than two feet for the sake of safety, she was clearly enjoying herself.</p><p>“Hey, Entrapta made it,” Mermista said by way of announcement.</p><p>Scorpia beamed at her from across the room and waved a claw. If Perfuma had not been fixing her hair with a wine-colored bow that matched her dress, Scorpia undoubtedly would have rushed to hug her.  “Your suit looks even prettier than it did through the screen! Does L- does Hordak’s tie match?”</p><p>Adora’s ponytail whipped around. “Hordak? How- oh, hey Entrapta!” Her hands fisted the lavender fabric of her dress, then relaxed.</p><p>“Hi everybody.” Entrapta gave a little wave. She picked an empty chair and sat cross-legged, while Mermista chose the remaining empty space on the couch with Scorpia and Perfuma.</p><p>“So, Entrapta, how have you been? Glimmer asked.</p><p>“I’ve been well!”</p><p>A few princesses nodded pleasantly. When Entrapta did not elaborate, Adora prompted, “How’s Dryl?”</p><p>“It’s doing well!” Entrapta looked around the room, counting in her head as she made eye contact with everyone for an amount of time she had previously calculated as proper. “We have returned to functioning at near optimal capacity. Ron and Hordak are still adjusting to the new environment, but Emily and I are working hard to make them feel at home. You know how robots are, they always adjust faster. She knows the castle better than I do by now!”</p><p>Spinnerella, Scorpia, and Adora laughed a little. Entrapta smiled at the joke landing. Then she noticed how Perfuma and Frosta in particular looked uncomfortable, and Entrapta made a note to avoid mentioning Hordak again. She reached for her recorder, but memories of how the princesses had reacted to it at Princess Prom flashed in her mind. She decided to do her best to remember everything on her own.</p><p>“Who’s Ron?” Perfuma asked.</p><p>“Oh! That’s Wrong Hordak’s new name,” Scorpia jumped to answer. “Right, Entrapta?”</p><p>“Correct.” Entrapta felt a weight sink down on her chest as the pause in conversation drew on, and it was not a good weight like one of her blankets. She had received a job as soon as she stepped into the room, but she did not understand how to put in the right work like everyone else. She rubbed her thumb over the side of the recorder in her pocket, concentrating on the texture. “I’m really glad I’m here. I haven’t had a chance to attend a good social experiment since Frosta held Princess Prom.”</p><p>Frosta knit her eyebrows and turned to Nettossa, who shrugged.</p><p>“Was that the wrong thing to say?” Before she knew it she was rambling, attempting to fix the awkward silence and feeling as though every word ruined the moment further. “I try to take notes when I do something like this, but they never seem to help much. Events with lots of people have never been my strong suit. I mean, people in general have never been my strong suit. Not to say that I’m not happy to be here with all of you! Making conversation just feels like trying to build a second communication tablet from scratch without getting the chance to open the original model and see where all the wires are connected, you know? Are we going to make our entrance soon? That would be best, then I can stay in the background with Hordak and-”</p><p>In her hurry to stand, she stumbled. Spinnerella caught her with a gust of wind and gently returned her to her seat. “It’s alright, none of us have been to an event like this in ages. After Princess Prom, things felt too dangerous for any of us to hold a ball. We’re all rather out of practice. And, since you’re here...”</p><p>At this point, all the princesses were exchanging glances. A conversation was going on in a language Entrapta did not understand, and it made her feel sick. She was overreacting. Letting the anxiety that had been building in her gut since the moment she agreed to attend the ball take control of her mind and make her look like a fool. “What’s going on?”</p><p>No one wanted to answer. The conversation continued in looks and twitches and awkward coughs. Was she in trouble again? Entrapta scanned her memory for anything she could have done recently to prompt this response. Over the past few months she had tried to stay out of everyone’s way. Was that it? Entrapta rubbed her fingers over the recorder faster. When she tried to be a team player, she made things worse. If she stayed in her own kingdom, that caused problems as well. How could she exist without making everyone upset with her?</p><p>Scorpia’s entire body tensed. “Adora told us what you said on Beast Island!”</p><p>Entrapta blinked. “What?” She had said a lot of things on Beast Island.</p><p>Adora cleared her throat. “When I realized how you felt, I didn’t know how to fix it. I- I didn’t want to think about it. There was so much going on that I didn’t have <i>time</i> to think about it. But now we all do.”</p><p>Perfuma straightened in her seat. “We thought tonight would be an appropriate occasion to set things right and return true harmony to our group.”</p><p>Were they waiting for her to apologize for what she had said? She had not meant to upset everyone. It was not their fault that friendship was not her strength. She opened her mouth to get it over with, but suddenly Adora stood, crossed the room, and held her hands.</p><p>“We’re so sorry,” Adora said. “You’ve been one of our most important allies, but we failed to make you believe you were one of our friends.”</p><p>Entrapta frantically looked from Adora’s face to their entwined hands, then to the faces of the other princesses. “I- but I joined the Horde, and I kept getting distracted and making things harder for you all. I’m not- you don’t need to apologize.”</p><p>Adora glanced at Mermista. Their expressions twisted in similar manners before Adora replied, “We’ve all made mistakes that have had consequences.”</p><p>“When Salineas was compromised, I didn’t want to fight anymore,” Mermista said. “I stopped caring about protecting the rest of Etheria. It was not my proudest moment.”</p><p>“Same!” Frosta announced. “Well, not <i>same</i> same, but for a while I only cared about protecting my kingdom and didn’t see a point in joining the alliance.”</p><p>Perfuma nodded. “I also was not keen on fighting for Etheria at first. And it would be dishonest to claim my pacifist ideals have never caused… issues.” She smiled at Scorpia.</p><p>“But a lot of the time, our flaws have been our greatest assets,” Nettossa said. “If you weren’t so passionate about tech, we never would have been able to save Glimmer.”</p><p>Glimmer gave an awkward wave. “Thanks for that, by the way.”</p><p>“We all have different weaknesses and strengths,” Adora said. She squeezed Entrapta’s hand. “It was wrong of us to make you feel like yours were somehow worse than ours. Plus, if we had made it clearer to you how much we cared, it wouldn’t have been so easy for you to think we didn’t and join the Horde.”</p><p>“Tonight is an opportunity to say everything that should have been said sooner.” Perfuma shifted in her seat. Scorpia moved an arm around her shoulders as a reassurance. “I’m sorry for the times I have lost my patience with you and pulled you around. I should have tried to communicate better with you, but instead I acted rashly and relied on my powers to do the work instead of my heart.”</p><p>Before Entrapta could counter, Mermista cleared her throat and continued, “Yeah, it took us- it took <i>me</i> way too long to realize that we work, like, really well as a team. And a big part of being on a team is making sure everyone understands each other.”</p><p>There was a knock at the door. Mermista groaned. “What is it?”</p><p>A guard entered, respectfully greeted the assembled royalty, then addressed his ruler, “Princess Mermista, a member of the Horde is on the premises and causing a disturbance in the ballroom.”</p><p>“Catra?” Adora was halfway out of her seat.</p><p>“Actually, it is a leader.” The guard cleared his throat awkwardly. “<i>The</i> leader.”</p><p>Entrapta mimicked Adora’s stance. Mermista frowned. “What’s he doing?”</p><p>He cleared his throat again. “He… his presence is causing unrest. A significant number of guests are uncomfortable.”</p><p>Mermista raised an eyebrow. “But what is he, like, <i>doing?</i>”</p><p>“He has spent most of the evening standing near the wall.”</p><p>“That’s it?”</p><p>“His presence is-”</p><p>“Causing some unrest,” Mermista finished dryly. “Hordak is here as the plus-one of a respected guest. I’m not going to kick him out for <i>standing</i>. Just, like, tell Sea Hawk to handle it. He’s good at diffusing tension. Tell him to, I don’t know, take Hordak on a walk around the gardens until we make our entrances. Something subtle.”</p><p>“How should the staff handle the guests’ complaints about him being in attendance?”</p><p>“Tell them what I said. He’s here with permission. Anyone who tries to fight or expel another guest will not be tolerated.”</p><p>The guard hesitated, but acquiesced with a nod and left to fulfill his orders.</p><p>Mermista crossed her arms. “That was annoying. Where were we?”</p><p>Entrapta could have kissed her. She settled for giving Mermista her brightest smile.</p><p>“I want to add something,” Adora said. “Entrapta, you’re a genius and I should have trusted you with more control over Mara’s ship sooner. I was so stressed about dying horribly in space and trying to rescue Glimmer that I couldn’t think straight, and that ship felt like the only connection I had left to the previous She-Ra. I was too paranoid about losing it to recognize your abilities.”</p><p>Entrapta set a tendril of hair on Adora’s shaking shoulder. “It’s okay. Really.” She shifted to address everyone, “This is all- I mean- I get it. I’ve never been great at communicating, or keeping friends. Sometimes I forget how my actions affect people. For a while I was actively fighting against you. You don’t have to pretend like it’s all your fault.”</p><p>No one responded. Entrapta worried she had said the wrong thing again. Then Scorpia burst into tears. Adora stepped away in time for her to charge across the room and lift Entrapta in a bearhug. When she had her voice under control again, she sobbed, “But I don’t even have those excuses! You were such a good friend to me in the Fright Zone, but when everything got crazy with the portal I froze, and- and-”</p><p>“Scorpia, it’s okay,” Entrapta wheezed.</p><p>“I did <i>nothing</i>. I was a bad friend. I wasn’t a friend at all.”</p><p>Entrapta’s vision blurred. The hug was so tight, she could hear Scorpia’s frantic heartbeat. She held her friend as tightly as she could muster in return. Words escaped her, but Scorpia had always responded to physical affection better than verbal affirmations. The rest of the princesses averted their gazes out of respect.</p><p>Finally, Scorpia’s hold relaxed enough for Entrapta to speak. “You took care of Emily while I was away. You defected from the Horde to tell the rest of the princesses where I was and how they could save me. You helped them trust me when I rejoined the alliance. I can’t do a proper calculation on it, but I think all of those choices count for something.”</p><p>Scorpia gave her one more squeeze and carefully set her back in the chair. “Thank you.” She walked back to the couch and accepted a box of tissues from Perfuma.</p><p>Entrapta scanned the room, wondering if everyone had said their piece. “I didn’t expect any of this, and I don’t really know how to respond, but thank you. All of you.” She fidgeted with her hair. “I’m sorry for not reaching out much after the war ended and our meetings finished. I wasn’t really sure how to, or if I should, but now I’m determined to be a more active friend.”</p><p>“Actually,” Glimmer began, “we’ve realized a few things were overlooked during the post-war meetings.”</p><p>Spinnerella continued, “It’s not only about repairing what has been damaged. Etheria is entering a new age.”</p><p>“The alliance has only ever operated during war. We need some changes in how we operate, now that we’re not all focused on military strategies.”</p><p>“So we’re gonna have a sleepover at my place!” Frosta pumped her fist. Self-awareness caught up and a flush colored her cheeks. “I mean, uh, the Kingdom of Snows would be honored to host a super serious and awesome meeting in the near future to work on, uh-”</p><p>“Diplomatic harmony?” Perfuma offered.</p><p>Frosta grinned. “That! Not sure when, but I’ll send out invitations as soon as I can.”</p><p>Entrapta opened her mouth, but her throat tightened. A smile split her face and laughter bubbled out. Unable to speak, she stood and threw open her arms.</p><p>Scorpia, unsurprisingly, was the first to catch on. “Group hug!”</p><p>The rest of the princesses rushed to follow her lead. Arms wrapped around Entrapta from all sides, and she did her best to return everyone’s embrace with her hair. Unable to form words, she continued to laugh and bask in the steady warmth and pressure of her friends. Her <i>friends</i>. Several of whom had tears in their eyes.</p><p>That part would hit her later, she knew. Her emotional responses often crossed wires in her brain, relaying incorrect signals at inopportune moments, like attempting to turn on a light and instead activating a blender. Most of the time it was embarassing, but in that moment as she struggled to catch her breath from laughing so hard, surrounded by people who loved her for it instead of despite, everything felt alright.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Chance Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Against all odds, Hordak was enjoying the ball. He suspected his good mood was tied to having Entrapta beside him for most of the evening. As long as she handled their interactions with the other princesses and the guests, he could ignore the perpetual urge to stay on guard.</p><p>His suspicion that his comfort hinged on her presence was confirmed when Adora tore her away from him. (<i>Tore</i> was an inaccurate description, he could admit. She had politely asked Entrapta for assistance when a small crowd swarmed around her, begging for stories of Beast Island. After all, Entrapta would be able to give more accurate answers to their questions. The request made her hesitate, but ultimately she agreed, gave him an apologetic look, and disappeared into the circle the guests had formed.)</p><p>Almost immediately, he was reduced to counting his breaths again. The stares he received as he searched for a place to linger out of the way were less hostile than earlier, but they were still unwelcome. His status had shifted from a threat to a curious specimen, and the latter was only marginally better. He found the corner with the pillar where he had stayed (hidden) before was currently occupied by a slowdancing couple. The guest with pink hair (Had they seen each other before?) caught his stare and glared.</p><p>Too tense to give an explanation or excuse, he walked off wordlessly in a random direction. Logically, there had to be another place in the palace where he could stay out of sight until Entrapta was free again. Not far ahead, several princesses were caught up in a cheerful conversation. He fixed his gaze on Scorpia and advanced. (How strange it felt to acknowledge that she was a princess. At times he still struggled to acknowledge Entrapta was one, despite having lived in her castle for several months.)</p><p>“Hey there.” Scorpia raised one claw in greeting, the other precariously holding the delicate glass stem of her drink.</p><p>“Entrapta is currently occupied with Force- with-” (Recognizing Scorpia and Entrapta were princesses was nothing compared to the headache he suffered whenever he tried to reconcile the image of his best force captain with She-Ra.) “She is busy, and I would like to wait for her in an uncrowded space. Is one available?”</p><p>“Ah, yeah, if you go up the stairs and find the first door on the left behind the curtain, you’ll find a little sitting area. We were all hanging out there earlier.” She attempted to gesture and almost spilled her drink.</p><p>Perfuma and Frosta gave Scorpia concerned looks. (Hordak could not be certain if he was remembering their names correctly. He had not paid much attention to their introductions earlier that evening.) Before either of them could revoke Scorpia’s permission for him to use the room, he thanked her and stalked off.</p><p>Behind him he heard murmuring, followed by Scorpia making a “pshh” sound effect. “They’ll be <i>fine</i>, it’s a party! Nothing bad can happen at a party.”</p><p>“Scorpia,” said the one he thought was called Frosta, “don’t you remember what happened at Princess Prom?”</p>
<hr/><p>It was easy to find the room. The shimmery blue curtain was already partially pulled back, revealing the door. Hordak opened it and stepped inside. The interior was as lavish as he anticipated a place for princesses to reside would be, with a multitude of fluffy pillows and furniture that followed the castle’s aquatic theme and color scheme. It was hard to reconcile the rest of the princesses’ lush tastes with Entrapta’s practical castle.</p><p>Part of him feared if he attempted to sit on any of the soft furniture, he would sink into an endless plush void. At the back of the room was a glass door. He opened it and stepped out onto a small balcony. Though the stars had returned to the night sky quite some time ago, the sight filled him with awe. For a moment he did not notice the figure that was leaning over the rail to watch the garden below.</p><p>“I was wondering how long it’d take for you to find me.”</p><p>He blinked and tried to focus his eyes in the new lighting. “Catra?”</p><p>She startled. “I thought- Where’s Adora? Why are you here?” Her voice pitched high.</p><p>“Occuppied with Entrapta at the moment.” He eyed her extended claws. “I can find another place to wait.”</p><p>Before he could leave, Catra side-stepped, careful not to make contact. “I was just going.” She disappeared through the door.</p><p>Hordak waited. If he entered the room after her, she might assume he was pursuing her on purpose, and that was not a confrontation he was ready for or interested in having. He moved to where she had been standing a moment before and looked out at the garden. It was empty at the moment, but it was clearly meant for frequent use. There were several benches stationed among the bushes, and a marble fountain in the middle.</p><p>A caterwaul came from behind him. Hordak turned and saw Catra through the glass. She was attempting to open the door that led to the main area of the party, but it refused to budge. She leveraged one stocking-clad foot against the wall and yanked on the doorknob fruitlessly. (He was not surprised to notice a pair of formal shoes had been left on the balcony. Catra had never been a fan of rules, let alone dress codes.)</p><p>She whipped around, eyes blazing, and yelled at him. The glass door between them muffled her words, but he heard the sentiment. He opened the door, and her bluster instantly dropped.</p><p>“Don’t come any closer!” In the better lighting, he saw she wore the same suit she had donned for Princess Prom.</p><p>He stayed where he was. “What happened to the door?”</p><p>“What do you want?” Not a single hair lay flat, making her tail look twice its size.</p><p>“I want to know what happened to the door.”</p><p>She bared her teeth and moved far to the side so he could approach it. It would not budge for him, either. If he had his laser canon he could have blasted a new opening, but he doubted Princess Mermista would have appreciated it. (With a touch of pride, he noted he was getting better at remembering the rebels’ names.)</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“I assure you, I would never intentionally keep us in the same space.”</p><p>Catra continuously flexed her hands as she scanned the room. “If Melog wasn’t in Brightmoon, I- but I can’t, and there’s no way down but the balcony, but I can’t, I can’t-” The pace of her breathing tripled. Her unhinged gaze fixed on him again. “Get away from me!”</p><p>Hordak stepped back. Her irrational behavior was grating on his nerves. It was so strange to be alone with his ex-force captain after all this time. The last time he had seen her was on Prime’s ship, when she had been surprisingly calm, considering how the last time before that was- (His mouth felt dry. His thoughts had started to race, and every time the phrase ‘Beast Island’ came to mind the edges of his vision turned red. No. No-)</p><p>He began to count his breaths. (Entrapta had forgiven her. Whether he thought she deserved it, whether she deserved to stand there, was irrelevant. It was not his place to enact revenge on her behalf. He could not ruin tonight for Entrapta. He had to hold himself together.) Hordak opened his eyes, unaware that he had ever closed them, and realized he was counting aloud.</p><p>Catra continued to stare, but she appeared to be more grounded now and closer to her composed, sardonic self. (In the back of his mind, he noticed their chests rose and fell in the same rhythm.) “Perfuma taught you that trick too, huh? Never thought I’d see you following a princess’s advice.” (Yes, she was definitely closer to her old self.)</p><p>“Entrapta passed it along.” He scanned the room to confirm her claim of there being no exit other than the balcony, which was too high to jump from and offered no way to safely climb down. “It seems we will be here until she comes to find me.”</p><p>“Or until Adora finds me.” She crossed her arms over her chest. </p><p>Hordak kept his hands at his sides. As long as they maintained this distance, it seemed both could remain calm. Occasionally one of them spared the comfortable seating a glance. It was a contest of pride to see who would sit first. As long as Entrapta’s crystal remained secure in his exoskeleton, he could do this all night.</p><p>Finally, Catra could not stand the quiet. “Nice eyes.”</p><p>He stopped himself from making a similar statement about her haircut. “I am not interested in engaging in a game of insolent remarks.”</p><p>“My sincerest apologies,” she drawled. Her eyes narrowed. “Say, does Entrapta ever get you and Wrong Hordak mixed up?”</p><p>Hordak’s chest tightened. “His name is Ron,” he corrected. “I could ask if She-Ra truly trusts you, but that answer is common knowledge.”</p><p>Her hair stood on end again. “<i>Adora</i> trusts me more than you ever did.”</p><p>He forgot the threat of her teeth and claws. “Have you ever considered you believed that because <i>you</i> were incapable of trusting <i>me?</i>”</p><p>Catra recoiled. “You- I- of course I didn’t trust you, and I was right. You tried to kill me.”</p><p>The red returned to the edges of his vision and threatened to take over. “You lied-”</p><p>The door opened. Both of them startled and faced the newcomer. Sea Hawk beamed. “Aha! Everyone has been looking for you. What-”</p><p>“Don’t!” Catra leapt for the door, but was not fast enough to stop it from closing. The lock clicked back into place. She turned on him. “You <i>idiot!</i>”</p><p>Sea Hawk’s features morphed almost comically in terror. “Kitt- I mean, Catra, I didn’t know- What’s going on?”</p><p>Catra appeared to be on the verge of murder. A vein in her forehead throbbed. “Some <i>idiot</i> locked the door from the outside, and now we’re stuck again because of you.”</p><p>“Count your breaths, Kitty,” Hordak chided. (Entrapta had repeated to him the lessons on social norms the princesses had attempted to explain to her, mainly for the purpose of their own amusement and dissection. Until that moment, he had not seen the purpose or appeal of disingenuous language like sarcasm.)</p><p>Sea Hawk tried the door. Unsurprisingly, it remained shut. “Well, no worries! My Mermista will come and find me in no time.” Unconcerned, he went around the room testing each of the couches and, once he found one that met his standards, stretched out as if he lacked a single care. “Entrapta is already looking for you, she recruited me to help,” he said to Hordak, then addressed Catra, “Finding you here as well would explain why Adora looked worried when I saw her last. Why did you leave?”</p><p>Catra’s tail lashed. “I needed some space.”</p><p>When Sea Hawk looked at him and asked the same question with a raised eyebrow, Hordak cleared his throat. “I needed some, as well.”</p><p>Sea Hawk nodded. “It is rather loud out there. I suppose no one minds the noise since the last time they had a real celebration was…” His sentence trailed as he drifted into thought. Hordak braced himself. “If you don’t mind me asking, why were you at each other’s throats when I came in?”</p><p>Catra’s expression soured further. “Let’s say Hordak and I haven’t been on the best terms for a while.”</p><p>“That is a way of putting it lightly,” he said evenly.</p><p>Sea Hawk sat up with wide eyes. “Really? Why? Perhaps it’s a Horde thing, but you both have so much in common. It seems a shame to stay at odds.”</p><p>“Maybe <i>what</i> is a Horde thing?” Hordak asked, resting his hands on the back of a chair. He doubted he and Catra were similar in any significant ways aside from their shared desire for Sea Hawk to stop talking, but the man was either oblivious to that or ignoring it on purpose.</p><p>“Promise you won’t be upset if I tell you?”</p><p>Catra lashed her tail again. “Get it over with.”</p><p>Sea Hawk cleared his throat dramatically. “Well, you both have trust issues and trouble connecting with others that stem from your fears of how you are perceived, that’s why you came here. You also each have trouble recognizing that you’re part of the Alliance now, most likely because you worry that the moment you let down your guard and feel like a member, the others will realize you don’t belong-”</p><p>“I know where I stand!” Catra struggled to get her breathing under control again. Her hands flexed, claws flicking in and out of sight. “I stand with <i>Adora</i> and she knows that!”</p><p>“That’s enough.”</p><p>She turned sharply to face him. Hordak’s grip on the back of the chair tightened hard enough to make the bones in his hands ache. Sea Hawk cleared his throat.</p><p>“That’s enough,” Hordak repeated before he could speak. “We don’t need to listen to the ramblings of a fool. Whether the other members of the Rebellion believe I’m a current threat is no concern of mine, as long as Entrapta knows who I am.”</p><p>Sea Hawk, proving that he was allergic to hints, refused to stay quiet. “I never meant to imply they did. In fact, the Rebellion- although there hasn’t been much rebelling since the war ended- firmly supports letting go of old grudges. If anything, you two are the only ones who still don’t trust each other. Considering how you’re both members now, you might as well follow their examples.”</p><p>There was a pause. To Hordak’s surprise, Catra met his eyes. “I can handle that.” There was a challenge in her gaze.</p><p>He thought about Entrapta. “Considering how little we will see each other in the future, I can agree to a mutual dismissal of past conflicts.”</p><p>Sea Hawk clapped his hands together. “Good! Now, I’m going to see if I can get the attention of anyone in the garden.” He headed through the door to the balcony.</p><p>Catra chose to sprawl across the couch Sea Hawk had abandoned, clearly marking her territory and attempting to assert dominance by displaying indifference to Hordak’s presence. She had never been much of an actress, though. Before a minute of silence had elapsed, she snapped, “Are you going to sit down, or keep being creepy?”</p><p>The backlash died on his tongue. He had agreed to be civil, and unlike her he tried to keep his promises. He let go of the chair’s back and walked around to sit down properly.</p><p>“That’s better.” Catra continued to stretch, which Hordak slowly recognized as yet another way she diverted her nervous energy. “So. Princesses, huh? This whole place is…” She wrinkled her nose in distaste, despite clearly enjoying the coziness of her seat.</p><p>“Entrapta has never indicated a preference for the standard taste of royal decor.”</p><p>Catra blinked. “Yeah. Yeah, Adora never has, either.” Part of her was always moving, whether it was her hands, her tail, or her ears. “It’s weird remembering they’re princesses, isn’t it? I mean Entrapta definitely is, I don’t know if Adora only counts when she’s She-Ra.”</p><p>(Hearing that voice say her name still brought a bitter taste to his mouth, but his emotions were under control.) “It is… difficult to reconcile, at times.”</p><p>Catra nodded, more to herself than to him. “How is she?”</p><p>The taste increased in unpleasantness. He swallowed. “She is well.”</p><p>Catra huffed. “Work with me here. You know what I mean. I know it- it took a toll on her.”</p><p>Hordak looked at his hands. (Useless.) “She is exceptionally resilient. Though, it would be unreasonable to expect constant perfection.”</p><p>She nodded again. “Adora has bad dreams, some nights. She doesn’t like to talk about them, but…”</p><p>“I understand.” Neither needed to voice aloud that their partners were not the only who had them to get the point across. “The more time that passes, though, the less often they happen. It is a matter of waiting, it seems.”</p><p>Catra was looking at him like she had something caught in her throat. Finally, her tail stilled. “On the ship- not your- I mean, when I was on Adora’s ship with her, I apologized. For everything, but-”</p><p>“She speaks amicably of you.” Hordak was momentarily stunned by the sound of his own voice. “I do not understand fully her reason for offering forgiveness, but it was not my choice to make.”</p><p>She turned her gaze to the ceiling. “Yeah, you’re not the only one.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Do you believe what that idiot said? About the princesses not holding grudges? I do, of course I do, because after all this time it would be stupid not to, but sometimes it feels unreal. Like one day I’ll wake up, or <i>they’ll</i> wake up, and remember everything we did. I don’t know.” She rubbed her arms as she spoke.</p><p>He thought carefully before he replied. “To be truthful, I ddi not expect for them to grant me such freedom as to be able to remain with Entrapta.”</p><p>Catra laughed, but muffled it as soon as she saw his face. “I mean,” she said once she was composed again, “It’s not like you ever leave that castle, and when you do, you’re too busy doting on Entrapta to overthrow the Alliance.”</p><p>He frowned.</p><p>She waved a hand. “I know, I know, not doting. You’re just lab partners or whatever.”</p><p>“I do care for her,” he said with a slight edge in his voice. “Very much, not that it is a matter of your concern. However, ‘doting’ is a rather infantile term for our relationship. Besides, I could make the same statement about your circumstances with Adora.”</p><p>Catra looked like she had caught her own tongue for a moment. “Yeah, maybe you have a point there.” She sighed and raked her fingers through her hair. “I guess Sea Hawk had a point about us.”</p><p>Suddenly, the door slammed open. They both turned in their seats.</p><p>“Sea Hawk to the rescue! I came as quickly as I could.”</p><p>Hordak’s brow furrowed. “How did you get down from the balcony?”</p><p>“How did I- but <i>you</i> were on the balcony, waving to me.” He stepped forward, causing both Catra and Hordak to leap from their seats.</p><p>“Don’t let that door shut!” she ordered.</p><p>Sea Hawk grabbed it in time, and they both exhaled in relief. “What’s going on?” he asked in bewilderment.</p><p>The glass door to the balcony opened. Double Trouble waltzed into the room. “Forgive me for practicing your character tonight, dear,” they said, giving Sea Hawk an exaggeratedly apologetic look, “but you’re one of the only roles I didn’t get to perform during my time in espionage. Hordak, Kitten, it’s been a treat.”</p><p>Catra’s gaze was glued to them as they shifted into the prince Hordak had seen earlier and waltzed out of the room. She muttered something under her breath and wore a knowing look that Hordak could not begin to unravel. He would talk it over with Entrapta later and see if she could help him understand what had happened. Somehow, he doubted it.</p><p>His head was spinning. “Which Sea Hawk taught me to dance?”</p><p>“That would be me,” the real one replied.</p><p>Catra’s thoughtful expression was wiped away by a peal of laughter. “You- you two-”</p><p>They heard a commotion occurring down the hall. Suddenly Adora and Entrapta were practically clambering over each other to be the first one in the room, and Sea Hawk fumbled to regain his grip on the door.</p><p>“There you are!” Entrapta nearly tackled Hordak, wrapping him securely in her arms and hair. “I was looking all over for you! I kept asking if anyone had seen you, but Scorpia couldn’t remember where she gave you directions to, and Mermista’s castle is so big.”</p><p>“I did not mean to worry you. I can assure you that I have been safe, and am happy to see you.” It felt good to hold her again. To his left, Catra was receiving a similar treatment from Adora.</p><p>“Come on, don’t freak out on me.” She swatted at her girlfriend’s arm. “Did you have fun by yourself?”</p><p>Adora gave her a kiss as an answer. “One moment you were beside me, the next you were gone!” Upon getting her concern out of her system, she noticed they were not the only ones still in the room. She cleared her throat. “Uh, hey, Hordak. It’s good to find you, too.”</p><p>She had never been a good liar. (One of the reasons she would have made an excellent force captain, but that did not matter anymore.) “Thank you,” he replied.</p><p>Entrapta squeezed his hand. “Now that I’ve found you, I have to show you the fountain in the garden! Well, you probably saw it already, as this room has an excellent view, but you need to see it up close! The mechanics are simple, but the end result is beautiful! It’s an incredible feat of plumbing. I’m going to ask Mermista to send me the schematics.” She beamed at Sea Hawk and the other couple. “You should come too, if you haven’t seen it already.”</p><p>“As this is practically my second home, I have indeed seen it, but I’m happy to accompany you,” Sea Hawk said. “Most of the princesses are already out there, I believe.”</p><p>Adora looked to Catra to make the decision. She coughed. “Yeah, we’ll join.”</p><p>Adora beamed, clearly relieved her girlfriend was willing to socialize. Then her face scrunched in confusion. “Where are your shoes?”</p>
<hr/><p>As they traveled through the castle, Hordak and Entrapta walked behind the rest of the group. She happily hung on his arm as Sea Hawk forged a route ahead of them. </p><p>In a quiet, almost hesitant voice, Hordak asked, “How did it feel to… talk about what you went through?”</p><p>She chewed her lower lip. “It was strange, but not unpleasant. In the future, I think it will be easier. A good scientist shares their discoveries, even when they’re unpleasant. Then they can become useful knowledge instead of burdens. Does that make sense?”</p><p>He smiled at her. (How strange this sensation still felt, to express a pleasant emotion without fear of reprimand. This joy was his, and no one could shame him for it.) “I think it does.”</p><p>“Entrapta did a great job,” Adora said gently, turning her head back toward them a bit. (Hordak missed a step, not expecting her to have heard, but Entrapta caught and rebalanced him with her hair. Humiliated, he wondered if she noticed, but if she had he could not tell.) “Everyone was hanging on her words. She’s great with details.”</p><p>“Thanks! Last week I finished transcribing my recordings from my time there, so the information was fresh.”</p><p>(How was she so calm, with Catra right there?) As if she could hear his thoughts, the hairs on the back of Catra’s neck rose and her tail flicked. (Oddly, Entrapta’s calm was contagious. No red tinted his vision this time. Having her beside him was a physical reminder that although the past was not fully behind them, in this moment it could not hurt them, in this moment they were safe, in this moment they were together.)</p><p>Most of the guests had left. It was easy to navigate across the previously packed ballroom. Sea Hawk found an impressive looking set of frosted glass doors. He opened one for them like a gentleman, revealing the sight of the rest of the princesses chatting and relaxing by the fountain. “Ta-da!” he cheered once they all had stepped out.</p><p>Scorpia turned first. She waved a claw and shouted from across the garden, “Hey, everyone’s together again!”</p><p>Entrapta’s excitement took over. She let go of Hordak’s arm and rushed to greet her friend. (Friends, Hordak corrected, watching the rest of the princesses and her inventor friend whose name he had forgotten greet her with equal friendliness despite only being parted for a short time.)</p><p>Sea Hawk hurried to reunite with Mermista, and Catra murmured something to Adora, encouraging her to go ahead. She remained beside Hordak without looking at him.</p><p>“Should we join them?” he asked.</p><p>“In a minute.”</p><p>Together, they watched the rebels laugh, joke, and look utterly relaxed around each other. At one point Mermista flicked water from the fountain at Frosta, but she turned the droplets into ice crystals mid air and dropped them down the back of Sea Hawk’s formal shirt. He did a jerky dance and Entrapta attempted to help by fetching the ice out with her hair, which caused him to squirm even more.</p><p>Catra rolled her eyes. “<i>Princesses</i>.” (He heard the implication. Look at them, how did they ever win?)</p><p>“The Rebellion- the <i>Alliance</i> is a force unlike no other.” (<i>Because they are the first to rule with compassion.</i>)</p><p>Unable to handle the cold anymore, Sea Hawk attempted to strip off his shirt. It got caught on his head and he stumbled backward into the fountain. Catra cackled. Adora transformed into She-Ra to give herself the strength to lift him out, bridal style. At the sound of Catra cackling, Perfuma noticed how the two of them were lingering across the garden and gestured for them to approach. (Maybe it was simply because she was trying to hide her laughter at her friend’s expense, but her smile seemed genuine.)</p><p>Hordak glanced at Catra. “They’re waiting for us. Should we?” (Underneath the words, he asked, <i>Do we deserve that kindness?</i>)</p><p>“Mmm, I suppose we have to.” (<i>Even if we don’t, they don’t seem to mind.</i>) She sighed. “Let’s go, before someone else falls in.” (<i>How did we get so lucky?</i>)</p><p>He did not have an answer. He doubted he ever would. However, as he and Catra crossed the distance between them and their loved ones beneath the beautiful starry sky, finding one seemed trivial in comparison to simply reveling in the feeling of belonging. It was the best feeling in the world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for sticking with me through my first multi-chapter fic! It has been a pleasure to write, mainly because of your lovely feedback.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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